Trump Signals F-35 Sales and Sanctions Relief to Turkey at Ankara NATO Summit, Sparking Regional Pushback

At the NATO leaders’ summit hosted in Ankara in early July 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to lift sanctions on Turkey that had been imposed in 2020 under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) following Ankara’s purchase of Russia’s S-400 missile defense system. Trump also signaled openness to restoring Turkey’s access to the F-35 stealth fighter program, from which it was removed in 2019, stating the U.S. would “consider” sales and that sanctions would be lifted as “we don’t want to sanction friends.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed the moves, expressing hope that F-35 deliveries would follow and dismissing objections from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Erdogan stated that such opposition “has no place in my world,” adding that the U.S. had kept its promises in the past. Netanyahu had publicly urged restraint, arguing that arming Turkey would upset the regional power balance guaranteed by Israeli air superiority and warning of Erdogan’s rhetoric toward Israel, Cyprus, and Greece.

The announcements came amid bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit. Multiple reports noted immediate concerns in Israel and Greece over potential shifts in military capabilities, while U.S. congressional resistance to any F-35 transfer remains a hurdle due to existing legislation tying sales to the S-400 issue.

Documented facts include Trump’s on-record statements about lifting sanctions and considering F-35 sales; Erdogan’s public dismissal of Israeli and Greek concerns; and Netanyahu’s Fox News interview outlining opposition. Speculation about broader NATO/Middle East realignments or institutional downplaying remains interpretive and unverified by primary evidence.